You Gotta Be Kidding! Statewide Recycling Campaign Social ...

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You Gotta Be Kidding!
Statewide Recycling Campaign Social Marketing Strategy
EPA
Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC)
Web Academy
Solid Waste Management and Recycling
Educational Series
May 20, 2010

Georgia’s Statewide Recycling Strategy
2005 Waste Characterization Study results
o Update State’s waste disposal reduction goals
State recycling strategy implementation
o Away From Home Program
o Regional Recycling Hubs
o Establish Recycling Performance Reporting Metrics (ReTrac)
Statewide Recycling Campaign

Statewide Campaign Goals
Help grow recycling volume and decrease recyclables
being wasted
Educate the public and key stakeholders on the
benefits and importance of recycling
Encourage recycling participation by connecting
emotionally with Georgians
And an added benefit: Position Georgia
as a national recycling success story!

Social marketing theory applied
Always start with research
o Know and pin point who you need to reach and their barriers
and motivators
Develop tools that will speak to and motivate them
o Change will not happen overnight
o You must first create buzz and catch attention
o Then.. engage (and engage and engage…)
Use creative tools to catch people where they live, work
and play
Always measure and adjust

No Guessing Here! Research Findings…
Most think their actions CAN make a difference
Most recycle because it is good for the environment
Among non-recyclers, recycling is perceived as inconvenient,
sometimes even when a curbside recycling program is
available
Everyone has a different definition and perception of recycling
and what it means to be a “recycler”
Residents want MORE information on recycling from their
communities
Habit appears to be highly important (How can recycling fit
into my daily routine?)

Identifying the Target Audience
45% of the population are non-committed recyclers.
They are more likely to:
o Recycle with less frequency or not at all
o Need more information about recycling
o Feel it takes too much time to separate recyclables
o Agree they should be compensated for recycling
o Say they'd recycle at all/more if it was easier to do
OUR TARGET: Non-committed recyclers
(And specifically 25-34 year olds!)

Campaign Tools
Taking the Campaign to Non-Recyclers State-wide

Campaign Tools
Marketing Materials Suite
Campaign Central: www.GACampaignCentral.org
Consumer Web site: www.YouGottabeKidding.org
Campaign Social Media Tools:
o Facebook Cause
o Flickr Gallery
Partnership Incentive Kits

Campaign Marketing Materials Suite
Signage/Outdoor
o Billboards
o Bus Shelters
o Posters
o Truck Signs
o Banners
Ads
o Print
o On-line
Radio PSA
o Tommy (English)
o Maria (English/Spanish)
Printed Materials
o Direct mail postcards
o Bill stuffer
o Flier template (BW/Color)
Viral Marketing
o T-shirts
o Coasters
o Stickers
o Koozies
o Flat Tommy, Maria and
Ronald

Materials Available -- Examples

Campaign Central

Consumer Web site – Home Page

Consumer Web site – Character Page

Campaign Social Media
Facebook Cause and Fan Pages
Over 2,550 members
45 members have recruited 10 or more
friends
Flickr Gallery
78 sets uploaded to YGBK Flickr gallery
2,124 photos
Over 6,500 views

Campaign Roll-out: Overview
Campaign launched June 1, 2009
o Radio Media Tour (RMT)
o State-wide media and marketing campaign
o Events and kick off of local efforts
Community/stakeholder use
o Training, conferences
o Incentive kits
New tool development

Incentive Kit Partnership Program

Incentive Kit Contents

Results
Community Engagement:
Unprecedented 168 stakeholders, representing over 100
communities, launched campaign in first 6 months.
206 community events held promoting recycling, reaching over
260 thousand attendees from June 2009-April 2010.
Generate buzz:
154 news stories to-date: 50+ stations airing radio PSA, audience
impressions 1.4 million print/broadcast + countless on-line.
Award of Excellence from EPA, Davey International Creative
Award, Georgia Recycling Coalition Innovation Award.
Over a dozen trade organizations highlight the campaign.

More Results
Recycling:
Total tons recycled at events in Georgia increased by 48%, with
over 47.3 tons collected in 2009
Initial reports show success in increasing recycling, but a oneyear
analysis will be more accurate and revealing
Sponsorships:
In just the first six months, $524,000 of in-kind and sponsorship
funds were given the campaign ($100,000 of these funds came
from communities)

Community Campaign Showcase
Use of the Campaign Across the State

Coca-Cola Recycling

City of Griffin and Savannah

Community events

Rome Braves and Savannah Sand Gnats
Baseball Games

Eaton Chiropractic, SP Recycling, Strategic Metals

Other communities around Georgia
City of Columbus
City of Braselton
Cobb County
City of Sandersville
Hall County

Contact Us
Lena Davie
Hill and Knowlton
(813) 775-6207
lena.davie@hillandknowlton.com
Karen Vickers
DCA
(404) 679-3512
karen.vickers@dca.ga.gov